Tanner Roark misses starting role

VIERA, Fla. - If Nationals pitcher Tanner Roark displayed an attitude or chose to be standoffish, I think most would understand. But the 28-year-old has been anything but a malcontent during spring training, which began roughly three weeks after the signing of former Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer likely bumped Roark from the Nats rotation.

"Adding Max definitely helps out the team tremendously," Roark said before Thursday's 0-0 tie with Detroit. "He's a workhouse. He logs a lot of innings. It definitely doesn't hurt the team. Whichever way I go, I'm comfortable pitching out of the bullpen. I've done it before. The situation is what it is, can't do much about it."

By the time Roark entered Thursday's game, it had already been two hours old. Hardly what the right-hander had been used to during a stellar 2014 campaign where he delivered a 15-10 record with a sterling 2.85 ERA in 31 starts.

Impressed by his modesty, I asked Roark if he misses getting the ball first, even if it's just spring training.

"Of course I do," he said. "When you make the transition to starting, you build up for five days. Each day I would get more and more nervous and then come the day of pitching, it was like butterflies all over the place. It's a great feeling. I think if you're not nervous, you're not human. At least that's what I was told. Coming out of the bullpen, you have to be ready like that. You've got like seven pitches and then you've got to get out there. It amps up pretty quickly out there, too."

Nationals manager Matt Williams has maintained since the start of camp that Roark is training as a starter. Roark even participated in an awkward photo-op standing with what is believed to be the five members of the Nationals' actual opening day rotation - Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Doug Fister, Gio Gonzalez and, of course, Scherzer.

Williams has yet to make any formal announcements on Roark's role with just 17 days remaining until the start of the season.

"At some point here, we'll make determinations on who's slotted where, who potentially may move, but as of right now nothing," Williams said. "He'll pitch again in a few days and then we'll make that decision."

And Roark's sticking with the team line even if it's the worst-kept secret that he'll be pitching out of the bullpen this season.

"As far as I know, I'm the sixth starter still, so that's what I'm going with," he said.

Roark is 4-0 with a 1.19 ERA in nine career relief appearances, all during his 2013 rookie season. He pitched out of the bullpen in the National League Division Series last year, giving up three hits and one run in 2 2/3 innings over two appearances. Unfortunately, the one run came in the top of the 18th inning in Game 2 when Giants first baseman Brandon Belt deposited a Roark fastball into the second deck at Nats Park for the game-winning home run.

Roark's first three spring appearances were shaky, as he allowed nine runs on 13 hits in just 5 2/3 innings. However, in his last outing, Roark returned closer to his 2014 form, striking out three in two scoreless innings while scattering three hits.

"The breaking ball was much crisper," Williams said. "He threw some good changeups and elevated when he needed to. Back to what I know of him."

Roark also recognized not only the improvement of the performance of his pitches, but also his mental approach the last time out.

"I felt like I stopped trying to hit my spots and just let it go, and that's what I've always done," Roark said. "I'm glad to get back to it. The biggest thing would be inside to a righty, trying to paint it in there instead of just letting it go and trusting it. Just not being timid out there. Just have confidence in my stuff, which I always have been, and not try to hit perfect spots."

Most believe Roark could step into about 25 other teams' rotations and be a top-three starter. Yet, the humble Roark doesn't let that talk distract him. He remains steadfast with his ultimate team mindset.

"When my name is called, I go out there and get outs," Roark said. "That's what my cup of tea is, I guess you would say."